Intro from NC

[pumibel]

Hello fellow Vets,

I have been viewing this forum for a while as a guest, but I think it is better to be a member when one is reading so many personal accounts. Otherwise, I'm just a creeper. I am a single mom and caregiver to my own mom. I was on active duty with the USAF for 12 years, separated honorably from Bolling AFB.  DC did me in, but when I separated in 2004, I really did not think that I would ever file a claim for anything because I had no faith in doctors and no time machine to realize that my health problems would get so much worse within the decade. Anyway, I would like to say that I am not in the same boat as a lot of traumatically injured members here, but many friends and family members have encouraged me to file for compensation because they have seen my physical and mental capacities decline (I am only 42).  Everything started while I was in the military, but the docs would blow me off almost every time I went in for answers. Funny, if I wanted drugs, they were more than helpful, but to press for tests to find out what was wrong- nope. You can't tell them anything, either. 

I only filed my claim a month ago, and I am already sure I did it wrong or back asswards, so I know I have some time to wait. I look forward to discussions here, and thank you all for your service!

[pumibel]

Hey, I don't mind! It makes me look popular lol. No, I am not that pathetic! You do need your own thread since you obviously have a lot going on, though, Talon. My thread title will not draw enough attention to your questions. Stop back in any time though!

[Andyman73]

Yeah, Andy. From what I remember about the VONAP claim, I could only choose left or right jaw condition. There was no specific entry for that one.

I did it!  Got me freakin out, tho.  I think the choices I saw were TMJ or "jaw condition".  Since I don't want to screw myself by limiting it to only TMJ, and therefor they deny me because they say it's something else.  Ahh, but maybe it won't make a difference anyway...

[pumibel]

Good job Andy! I was not sure if I had TMJ disorder or not so i chose the broader "jaw condition" option. I just got some of my medical records from my local VA- not my STR,  I found out that I have been diagnosed with conditions that the doctors did not bother telling me about, maybe because they are hard to pronounce, I dunno. Only one of those would date back to my service, though. I am not sure I can prove it, and I'll have to wait for my actual STR to see.

[Andyman73]

Thanks, pumibel, I kinda just went on to ebenefits and pushed the buttons, and there it was.  I went through my STR and found 6 or seven entries...I guess that should be enough to make the SC, right? A few were from the medical side and the others were from the dental side.  So, now I just have to get them together and write up a statement to support my claim, and off we go.

On a side note,  I also filed a claim for "sleep disturbance issues" or something like that.  There was a sleep apnea option, but I remember someone vastly superior to me in knowledge and experience(on here) say to not specify the ailment/contention, but let the VA do it.  I could only find one reference to sleep issues in my STRs, on one of those health overviews that we filled out every so often.  I sure hope that's enough.

Andy.